Planter



(No Model.)

48he9ts-Shet 1. L. E. WATERMAN.

PLAN'TBR.

Nb. 480,304. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

ts sneet 2.

(No Model.)

L. E.-WATERMAN.

PLANTER.

No. 480,304. Patentedug. 9, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet '3.

L. E. WATERMAN.

' PLANTER.

No. 480,304. Patented Aug. 9,1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheet-Shet 4.

L. 'E. WATERMAN PLANTBR.

"No. 480,304. Patented Aug. 9,1892,

III/171474 II/II) Winewaw:

to this end and object my improvement con; sists, in its main feature, in a planter the oradapted-at thesame time to support the seedvention other subsidiary improvements are.

.tion ofwhich devices separately and in com- 'bination wilLbe foundhereinafter fully derangement thereof are illustrated in them- *companying. drawings, in which-.

.dese ribed;=.Figs-.2;is... n planter with the near diskiremoved ,cov

laterally, and in which; the same disks are devices are specified in the claims of this speci- -w Fi .3, anenlargedsidc; eleva Y ATET W E COMPANY, OF-

SAME PLACE;

PLANTER. i

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersratent'hl'o. 480,304, dated August 9, 1892.

Application filed April 2, 892. seen 110.427551- mamas.)

To all whom it may concern:

vBe it known that I, LEWIs'E. WATERMAN, of the city of Moline, in the State of Illinois, have inven ted'cerain new anduseful Improve ments in Planters, of which'the following is a specification. I V f My invention relates to improvements in corn-planters. p v

The main'objectof the invention is to furnish planters inwhich disks are used of that class which cut, pulverize, and move the soil used for the purpose of supporting. the seed dropping ormeasur'ing and-delivering mechanism, for operating said seed-droppingmechan-ism',.for pulverizing thesoil, and for moving it laterally to. cover the deposited seed and gani-zationot i which is such that-disks such as are ordinarily used with disk barrows arev dropping. mechanism ot the-planter, to operate said seeding mechanism, and to pulverize thesoiland cover the deposited seed there: withQ;

In carrying out the main objectsofmy inevolved, which consist in novelstructu ral fea-Y. tn res and combinations of devices, th'eoperascribed-and the novel combinations of which fication. r I

The preferred construction of parts and ar Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved planter-with the near, disk removed .to show.

otherwise obscured by it. e .-In this -iigu re ns nal remmedt siwwethe pe is 1* isl' a. side-elem. (onto! et'ails; hereinafter 'd elevatigngof any ing=blades fixed to e a e a ne nd h o ward part of V the draft-frame ,supportedibya HOD of parts shown at 1, hereinafter described;

Fig.4, an enlarged sideelevationof parts shown at Fig. 2, hereiuatter described; Fig. 5, an enlarged top planet the planter organ: 'ized as shown at Fig-. 2, but with one disk in} sectional plan and both disks shown by broken and unbroken lines in difierent adj ustments;

Fig. .6, an enlarged top planet; the parts shown at Fig. 4 with the covering-bladesat- .tached; Fig. 7, an enlarged top plan of the.

seed-box with its cover removed to show its interior, and a top plan of part of the swing- :ing frame which carries theseed-box; Fig. 8,

an enlarged top plan of the seed-box with its cover and the cap p1ate over the seed-cup disk removed, and a top plan of part of' the of the seed-box, the dropping mechanism contained therein, the vswinging frame towhich swinging frame which carries the seed-box; Fig.9., an enlarged central sectional elevation the seed-box is fixed, and the seed-tube, and aside elevation of one driving-diskyFig. 10,

anefilarged plan, partlylin sectiolnQf the seed-box, the dropping mechanism, the disks,

. is. and their gear connection with the seed-drop- ,ping mechanism, and parts of other adjacent parts, inverted; Fig-11, an enlarged:plan of actuat s theiseeding mechanism, and ot other .parts, inverted.

j e r In thedifierent figuresof thedrawings the same reference-letter is used todesi'gnate the same apart;

the swinging plate or frame which carries the hemain features of myimprovements are I of such nature that they may be incorporated I in plantersof different construction. I have deemed'it sufficient, herein however, to show and describe it as-.pref erabl y usedwhjen used with'a double-mold-board or .lister plow, and

also as 'vvhen used with simply a supportingwheel in-front,

; :Thws rpn gord ub emold-boam. new A (shown ai- Eig. lyand otherffigures of the i draw is ordinary plow of the kiud,

ith a beam a, points a, mold-boards ai'and l s abeltedfi Q:. -b ?crds ore Parts 0 i i i'p. v

o ect n ser ly from the plow-beam a vis 'a bar or frame B, whichis;rigidly/fixed at,itsnfrtmtv endto v e and the bar 'B being fixed to the'lister-plow the bars B and D thus become a rigid frame rigidly fixed to and in rear of the lister-plow.

IntegraLvrith the bar D aiid at the mid-length partthere'of is anordinary seed-tube 1 which 5 is in rear of the furrow-opener 0. PM rear end dof the bar D is extended and has holesd d-and slot d for purposes hereinafter described. The bars B and D are separable, for purposes hereinafter described, hy'removing 4 so the lolts-d d.

E isa plate or bar broadened at its rear end I to form the bed plate or bottom e for the seedbox G and with its front end portion bifur- 'eated' to stride the .bar D,to which it is pivoted at itsfront end by a bolt e.- The' seeda box G is fixed tothe bed-plate e by hook-rods g. (See Fig. 9.) The bed-plate c has acentral "upwardly-projecting bosse, (see same figure) Y on which the seed-cup disk His journaled to revolve. Abolteprojects through the boss e and holds the seed-cup disk in place. The

seed-cup disk-is rovided with a circular series ot-seed-cups An ordinary cap-plate I, 5 with an arc-shaped opening c' corresponding annular shoulder c in the bed-plate e to support fthfi plate I as it is revolved. The plate J- has an annular bevel cog-gea'rj on its lower side. The seedcup disk is located in the cen-- tral opening 'of the annular plate I and rests on an annular shouldei'j' of the plate J, and

is held'to revolve with said annulus by lugs j" on the annulus'J, which project into correspofi'di'ng recesses h in the disk H. (See Fig.

8.) As the seed-cup plate IGVOIVGS'zitS seed-- cups are brought suecessionally over the ap erturee and beneath the cut-oft- I' to discharge their contained quantities of seed to the seedtube'. Disks H with different sizes of seed-cups may be used for planting ditlfe'r-l entj kinds of seed.

The seed dropping or measuring and de-. livering mechanism 1n the seed-box,,hereinbefore described, is an ordinary mechanism for the purpose and may be used with myimprovements; or any other suitable seed measuring and delivering mechanism may b'e-used, if preferred,.with myimprovements and without departing from the gist of my invention.

'lransversely of and below the bed-plate e tothe circular disposition of the seed=eups is a divided axle L, or axle made in two parts, It, the two parts of which are united by an ordinary universal joint c'ousisting of a cross 1', to the outer ends of the diametrically-oppositearms 1 .06 which are pivoted the two arms or branches 1 of each part lot the axle, as shown at Figs. 9 and 10. Any other ordinary joint with two axes of flexure to make it a universal joint will answer the purpose. A disk'M, preferably of the concave-convex type withsharpened periphery; is fixed to the outer end ofeach part I of the 'axle (see Fig. 10) by a split spring-key m,-which may be inserted through either of aseries of holes ltin the axle and through the hub of the disk for the purpose of adjusting the distance hetween the disks, and the parts Z project bcyoud their bearings n for that purpose. Each part 1 of the axle has thereon a fixed collar 1 which revolves against the inner end of the disk acting to move the part axle of the other disk lengthwise of itself.

mg n, in which one of the parts 1 of the di- The bracket-s N have each a journal-bearvided axle'isjournaledf These journal-bean I ings are preferably elongated (see Fig. 10) to hold'the axleparts in proper alignment, but

' may have multiple bearings for the same purpose. The brackets N are adjustably fixed one to each side of the bed-plate e by bolts n,

which pass through holes in the side arms 12 of the bracket and through slots 12. in the bedplate e, which slots are concentric -with the annular plate J. One' of the parts I of the axle has fixed upon it a bevel-wheel l. in such position that it projects through. an opening e" (see Fig. 11) in the base-platea'where its cogs engage with the circular series of counterpart co s on the lower side-of the annular plate J. See Fig. 10.) V

By loosening the nuts on the bolts 'n' the brackets N, with the bearings 12, which are integral with or fixed thereto, can be adjusted to adjust the part axles l indiflerentradial positions relatively'to the annular plate J and theiseed cup wheel, and after such adjustment the. parts may be again fixed to each other by tighteningthe nuts on .the bolts n. By such adjustment of the bearings n and the partsZ of the axle the angle of the disks M to the line of travel of the planter can be adjusted, as may be desired, for the purpose ofcausing the disks to throw or move't-he soil more or less toward the row of deposited seeds, as may be required, in different kinds of soil and in diflerentconditions of the same soil. One such adjustment of the disks M is shown or indicated by dotted lines at Fig. 10. In all these adjustments of'the axle, with its two parts'l in diiferent radialpositions and at different angles to each other for the purpose of adjusting thedisks M, as described, the pinion I will be swung in-the are of a circle corresponding with the. circular position of the series of cogs j of the annular plate J, and

hence remain in gear with and for properlyactuating said plate J, and with it the seedeup'wheelgand-inall'of such adjustments the twopa rts Zof theaxle, in view, mainly, of their coupling to each Ot-hfligWlll be rotatedsimultaneo'usly,-so that" either disk at any time runnin g in su'ch' soi'hasfniight not rotate thea xle regularly, the 'otherdisk at thesame time be inginbetter soilgwilltendto produce a more uniform rate of velocity of rotation of the disks, and-hence iiniforim'and regular velocity,

of" revolutionw-of the seed cup wheel, and therebyuniform deposit of, seed throughout the'rowsthereof. jlt wilh-be' evident,- however,- that theadjn'stahle two parts Z of the axle L may bis-independent of each other,

' or-mot coupled with each other, and. that such construction ise'mbodied in myQimprovem'ent; -bnt I prefer the parts Z, coupled *torotate with feachother', mainly for the reasons-givens-thatiis, that-moreuniform plantin'g will 'bef'secuied when both disks are depended:- upon :to 5' operate the mechanism formeasn'ring andt delivering the seed to the conductfo'r-tnbe or-se'ed tnbe; It'will be evident thatthe' annular;plate'-J may be dispensed withand the seed-cup plateH be enlarged andprovidedwitw aioircular series of cogs,

1 such asJ, "whereby the: seed-cu-p wheel will ;receive its motion direetfrom the pinion 1 withoutdeparting from'thegist of my inven-.

tion'in this respect; but I' prefer tones the interposed annular plate J to facilitate substitution lofl diffierentflseed-cnp disks of simple forme The fp'inion Z is. provided with a housingf-l ;-which'isfo'rmed of a curved plate Z fixed to or integral with the bearing nand a platei 'l bolted to the plate Z.

:The- -leverR (see-Figs; 1 and V at-its mid-length portion'vto the rear end of the extension di-of the bar D, and oneofits ends 'r is pivotallyconnected witho'ne end of p a link 0", theother endxof which is pivotally; connected with 1a--lug 'ri'which' is pendent from'the bed-plateau When. the planter is in operationgin" th eafield, the'lever Ris in the relative-position tothe'other parts. (Shown by full lines at Fig. :1.) The operator or.

d river-can by' pl'acing'hi's' foot on the free end "I" of "th"-e'-lever turn or sw ing-said'lever, and

thereby tilt or raise the rear endof the bar- E an'dswith itthese'ed-box, seed measnrin g and'deli'verin'g mechanism,and the disks M,

as's'how'n'by deflied lines at Fig. 1 and full lin-es at Figg'l, and "thereby stop-'the' opera? tiomo'f the; seeding mechanism-'- -When the leverR is turned into the position shown at r Fig, l, the link T will come in contact with v a lu g 'r, and thereby lockthe partsinfthe rela'tive positions" shown gatsame figure un tilthey are i 'ela'sedfihy raising the rear end} oftheflever ana therebyj'loweringits'froutj end andv restoring the parts to their relative ready for planting; 3

positions (shown "at Fig. l by fulllines) and It willbeseen nomineforegoihg; descrip-f and its contained seeding mechanismthat the same disksby their rotation actuate the seed measuring and delivering mechanism, and that the same 'diskswhen set at an angle with the line of draft pulverize the soil at each side of the rowof seeds being planted,

and throw it or move it tow'ard said rowot deposited seeds for'the purpose of covering them, and the combination of disks haVing such functions witha seedm'easuring-andde' liverin'g mechanism, with which they are combined as described, constitutes the main feature orgist of my invention.-

lhe lister-plowA operates to turn a furrowslice of the uppermost soil laterally inboth directions or oppositedirection's. The furrow opener'c" opens a furrow for the". seed andto someextent loosens'the soil in; the bottom part of or below the furrow made bythe lister-plow. o

ism in the seed-boxko'perat'e'd bythe disks The seed measuring and delivering "mechan- M deliver the-seed to'the seed-tube (2 which conducts them to the furrow; opened by the furrowopener c, arfdfwhere they aredeposited' in what. is known as .ffidrill-planting, and are covered'withsoil pulverized and loosened by the disks M inthebot'td'm of the furrow made bythe plow Aand' thrown or moved by said disks toward and ove'r, the row that is, the nearerthe disks rotate'in planes parallel with the line of travelof the Planter 1 of seed to a depthcontr'ol-led by the adj nst- 'ment of the disks, as hereinbefore describedthe lesssoil they will throw. toward the row of seed; The planter,- when including the lister-plow, as shown at Fig. 1, can be used and is adapted for plantingin soil without previous plowing, or it may be'used in land alreadyplowed. l;

At Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 6 'I have shown the bar B of a slightly-different form from that shown at other figures and with its front end extended andterminated by. a; hook d to which i the drafteanimals maybe hitched. The forwardly-extended end of the-bar B is supported byaf wheel .5, which is journaled'toa standard that strides the bar B and is adj ustably held thereto-by ledges s and a bolt 3 {'By'remow' ;of the planter the disks may be. adj usted, as" shown by'br'oken lines at Fig.6, to rotate in: planes parallel with the line of travelo'f the planter and to move no soihtowar'd the depositedseed, and in'snch case covering-blades V of ordinary construotion fmay be used to cover 't-he' seed. These blades are secured to the extended rearend of. th'e bar- D, as shown at Figs? and 6, by spacing-sleevesio and bolt flh'eadjacentsurfaces'between thesleeves Y and bar D are roughened, as shown, and

ledges'u on the outer end of thesleeves em- I --brace the blades V, and thus theblades are securely and adjustablyheld in place. When the lister-plow isremoved and the gage-wheel S used, which is adjustable, as shown, to con-' .trol the depth of planting, then the handles a are adjustably fixed to the extended end d of the bar D bya pivoting-boltyand-a fixing-bolt g, which bolt'y passes th rough the handles andthrough the slot d. r The action-of the soil in forcing the disks M from each other is well understood, and

this action of the soil on both disks will aid in guiding the planter in a directline.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire tosecure by Letters .Patent, is

1. In a corn planter, the 'combination, substantiallyas hereinbefore described, of a seedbox, mechanism for measuring and delivering seed from the box,- co-operating disks on either side of the box,'wh-ich disks] carry or latter, and means for adgusting the d1sks,'so'

, to support said box and the'measuring-and' support the seed-box and 1the'measuringand delivering mechanism and'which'actnate the astovary their covering. capacity. I i 2. In a corn-planter, and in combination,

substantially ashereinbeforedescribed. a J seed-box,mechanism for measuring and .de-

livering seed from .the'se ed-boxto the seed tube,-disks on either sideofthebox, adapted delivering, mechanism, a divided axle to which said disks are fixed to rotate therewith and" the two parts of which are coupled tolrotate with each other, anda pinion fixed to one of said parts and geared with and to operate the seed measn ring and delivering mechanism in the seed-box.

7 3. In a corn-planter, and in combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, a

seed-box, mechanism for measuring and de liver'ing seed from the seed box-to the seedt'ube, diskson either side of the b'ox,-adapted tosupportsaid box and measuring and delivering mechanism, said'dis'ks being fixedto' coupled to each other and which are adj usta; divided axle the two parts of which are able to. change the angle of the disks to the line oi travel of the planter, and a pinion fixed to one of the parts of the axle and geared with to operate the seed measuring and delivering mechanism in the seed-box. 1

. 4.. In a corn-planter, and in combination,

substantially; as hereinbefore described, a" seed-bo'x, mechanism for measuring and de-,

' livering seed from the seed-box'to the seed-' tube, disks on either side of and ads ted to support said box and measuring and eliv'ering mechanism, said disks beingfixed to a divided axle the two parts of which are coupled to each other, a pinion carried on one of said parts of the axle, and means for adj usting' the two parts of the axle toadjust the angle of the disks to the line of travel of the planter and'in such manner as to adjust thepinion mechanism, a lever B, hinged to the-rear end connected with said lever and with a lug on concentrically with the circular series of counterpart cogswith which it gears to actuate said seed-measuring mechanism. 5. *rIn a corn-planter, and iiicombination,

substantially as 'hereinbefore described, a r

seed-box, mechanism fol-"measuring and delivering seed fromthe seed'box to the seedtube, disks 'oneither side of the box, adapted to support said box andm'easurin g and deliveringmechanism, an axle in two parts, each part of which has one of said disks fixedthere- ,to, a pinion on one of the parts of the axle,

which pinion gears with and actuates the seed- .ing mechanism referred to, and means for adjusting said disks at different angles to the line of travel of the planter.

-6. -In'a'corn-planter, in combination with a 4 lister-plow, a drag-bar, as B, fixed to and in rear thereof and provided with a furrow-opem" er, anotherfdragbar, as D, fixed thereto and provided with 'a seed-tube, and a frame or bar,

.' as E, hinged to the bar D at one end and pro- .vided with a seed-box having seed measuring and delivering mechanism supported by disks, as M,with,an axle fixedtliereto and provided with n pinion whichfgearswith said-seed stantially asdescribedi I 7. In a corn-planter, in combination with a .listerplow, a drag-bar B, removably fixed thereto and provided with afn'rrow-opener,

"measuring andr'delive'ring mechanism, sub- -another drag-bar D, removably fixed to the bar 13 and provided with a seed-tube, where-. by s'aid bar -,B maybe substituted by another not fixed to a lister-plow, a seed-box provided with seedmeasuring and deliveringmecham,

ism: and mountedon an arm E, hinged to the bar D, and disks, as M, fixed to adivided axle to support said seed-box, which-axle gears .with and operates the seed mechanism referred to,substantially.as described."

8. In a corn-planter,.in combination witha drag-bar, a seed-box 'having seed measuring and delivering mechanism carried ona bar hinged to said drag-bar,-and a lever, as R,

pivoted between its ends'to the dragrbar and having a link'connection therewith, whereby the box may be raised and lowered, substantially as described." t

' 9. In a corn-planter, in combination with a drag-bar, as D,'and,bar,as E, hinged thereto and having a seed-box mounted thereon and provided with seed measuring and-delivering detent-lu'g r, substanthe swinging bar, and a detent for locking said lever when turned to'elevate theseedbox, subst antially as described. Q I 11. .In a corn-planter, in eombinationwith a drag-bar, a frame hinged to said bar and carrying a seed-box at its rear, said box having seed measuring and delivering mechanism, a two-part axle journaled in said frame and carrying supporting, pulveriiing, and covering disks, a pinion fixed to said axle and geared with and to operate said seed measuring and delivering mechanism, and means for independen tly adjusting theparts of the axle, substantially as described.

12. In a corn-planter, in combination with a lister-plovv, drag-bars in rear thereof, a frame' or bar hinged to'said drag-bars, a seed-box mounted on saidswinging frame and provided with a seed measuring and delivering mechanism, disks fixed to a, divided axle tosupport said seed-box and its contained mechanism and adjustable to change their angle to fixed to said axle and geared with to operate said seeding mechanism, and a lever, as R, for raising and lowering said seed-boxand disks, substantially as-described,

14. In a corn-planter, the combination of a main frame, a supplemental frame pivoted thereto and carrying a seed box or receptacle and seed measuring anddelivering mechanism, a two-part axle journaled in the supplemental frame and carrying disks acting to support the box and its contained mechanlsm on either side ofthe same and to pulverize the soil and cover the seed, and means for adjustifug the parts of the axle 'so as to set the disks to throw more or less of the soil onto the seed.

15. In a corn-planter, the combination of a drag-bar, as B, a supplemental drag-bar, as D,

secured thereto, a furrow-opener carried by the main drag-bar, a spout or tube carried by the supplemental drag-bar,'a pivoted frame carrying a seed-box and measuring and delivering mechanism, an axle journaled in the pivoted frame and carrying Wheels or disks for supporting the box and its contained mechanism and pulverizing the soiland covering the seed, and mechanism between the axle and the measuring and delivering mechanism for actuating the same. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIsrL WATERMAN.

. Witnesses:

C. H. P PE, [D. J. WEBB. 

